The Magic Mother Lode, originally uploaded by jim.christian.

I only leaned in the window of the charity shop on the high street this afternoon to get a better look at the hardback copy of "Houdini on Magic". When I went in to enquire about the magic book in the window, the lady behind the counter asked "Which one? I'd like to sell them all as a set. They're somebody's life's work."

I had no idea what she was talking about, so I asked how many she had, and then she showed me. My eyes were suddenly too big for their sockets. She sold the lot to me for £20. A lot of the books are stand-alone magic tricks, published by the performing artists themselves, but there are a couple of proper books in there too. Here's what I hauled home this afternoon in a spare duty free bag:

• The Big Book of Magic by Patrick Page
• On Magic by Harry Houdini
• Open Sesame by Lewis and Tyler
• 150 Comedy Props by Patrick Page
• 100 Classic Houdini Tricks You Can Do by Dunniger
• Oriental Conjuring and Magic by Will Ayling
• Another Book by Karrell Fox
• The Great Illusionists by Edwin A Dawes
• Magic Around the Wizard's Table by Jan Torell
• The Art of Ventriloquism by George Tollerton
• Hot Heat "Fascination" by Eddie Joseph
• Handbook of Horror by Charles W. Cameron
• Vis-Ability by Val Andrews
• How To Pick Pockets by Eddie Joseph
• Flash Paper Tips by Stuart Robson and Ralph W Read
• The Professor's Nightmare by Patrick Page
• Hypnotism by Hugh Miller
• Annemann's Club Act of Magic Jinx Programme No 1
• Club 71 - Spring 1990
• Club 71 - Christmas 1990
• Club 71 - Mayday 1991
• The Theory and Practice of Hypnotism by William J Ousby
• Fire Magic by Clettis V Musson
• Card Magic by Manipulation by Lewis Ganson
• Tricks and Stunts with a Rubber Dove by Ian Adair
• The Osman Thumb Tie by Cliff Osman
• The Hindu Thread Trick by Lewis Ganson
• The Floating Bill by Michael Ammar
• Spooky Stunts with Luminous Paint
• Spook-Show-Stoppers by Val Andrews
• How To Get More Applause by Ken de Courcy
• The Bu$ine$$ of Restuarant Magic by 'Amusionist' Al The Only
• Club Gags by David Charles
• How To Make Flashes, Bangs and Puffs of Smoke by Micky Hades
• The Sorcar Collection: Nine Effects by the Great Socar of India
• Hat Loading Methods - A "Supreme Magic" Publication
• The Great Masoni Presents Showmanship Out Of the Hat
• Zombie: The Floating Ball by Lewis Ganson
• Zombie Fire Climax by Dicky Dean
• Phoa Yan Tiong's Cut & Restored Silk
• Miracle Shell-Coin Routines by Roy Baker
• Close-Up Comedy by Val Andrews
• Indian Cups and Balls by PK Ilango
• Close-Up Floating Bulb - A "Supreme Magic" Publication
• The Real Secret of the Electric Chairs - A "Supreme Magic" Publication
• Comedy 'Pro-File'! by David Hemingway
• Mere Dee-Tales by Leslie Dee